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Networking, Career Assistance, and the Industry Scoop: Reflections on the 7th Annual Biotechnology Symposium and Career Fair

Heloisa Siffert

Senior Instructional Support Specialist

Center for Support of Instruction

Published: July-August 2010

Category: » University-showcase » Classes-programs

This past May, UMUC's Biotechnology Studies Program held its annual spring symposium and career fair, Trends and Careers in Biotechnology, at the USM Shady Grove campus in Rockville, MD. This event has been held since 2004 in response to two critical questions raised by students: "Am I choosing the right field of study?" and "What are the job prospects once I graduate?" The symposium seeks to provide students with information about career prospects in this industry, offer networking opportunities, increase awareness of the program, and build relationships with the biotech business community.

Over 100 people attended the symposium this year; attendees included current and prospective students in the biotechnology program, adjunct and full-time faculty who teach in the program, students from other universities, alumni, and local and regional government and industry representatives. Due to the economic downturn, only two companies had tables at the job fair this year—compared to up to eight in years past. However, several employers who attended the symposium networked with the attendees outside the official job fair tables, so plenty of job information was still available.

The morning session included panel presentations featuring senior executives from public- and private-sector companies who focused on emerging trends in biotechnology, employer needs and the range of career opportunities, success stories from biotechnology entrepreneurs, and alumni testimonials. The afternoon session combined networking with the career fair, facilitating opportunities for the attendees to network with the speakers, faculty, staff, and companies participating in the event. The value of first-hand information from industry representatives and learning from the experiences of alumni was a great attraction for the attendees.

Additionally, graduating students in UMUC’s biotechnology program participated in a showcase at this event in which they delivered poster presentations of their capstone projects. This session gave them the opportunity to share and demonstrate their knowledge and to interact with other biotechnology specialists on a professional level.

Video archives of the morning presentations were made available online for those who were unable to attend the symposium. While 80% of the students in the biotechnology program live in the Washington, DC metro area, the video archives allow us to also serve those who live outside the area as well as those who work during the hours that the event was scheduled.

A unique characteristic of the symposium is that all speakers attend on a volunteer basis, which helps keep costs down. Furthermore, by garnering industry support over the years, the biotechnology program has been able to attract sponsors for this event, enabling us to offer it at no cost to attendees. Additional benefits include expanding partnerships with local and regional companies, recruiting new students, identifying jobs for students, and—overall—building community and facilitating connections and interaction among participants in an otherwise online program.

The symposium has helped the biotechnology program achieve its mission of developing student entrepreneurs with a thorough understanding in science, management, and policy issues unique to the biotechnology industry. It is also one of the key factors that has contributed to the program's growth and reputation. We look forward to holding the symposium again next spring so that we can continue providing our students with opportunities for interaction with the industry and assistance with their careers.